DC Universe Presents #6Review

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Didio takes on another Jack Kirby creation.

By Joey Esposito

I really love the idea of DC Comics having an anthology-type book that rotates its main feature every couple of months. It offers a perfect forum for characters that are unlikely to sustain their own monthly title to get a chance at gaining some traction. The opening Deadman story was fantastic, and I was excited for Dan Didio and Jerry Ordway to tackle the Challengers of the Unknown. Unfortunately, this first chapter of the new story is depressingly unfulfilling.

Didio offers up an origin of sorts for the Challengers, updating them to be realty TV contestants sent to survive in the Himalayas, Survivor-style. When their plane goes down, the group finds themselves in the mystical haven of Nanda Parabat. Unfortunately, that's about where the story becomes a confusing series of events strung together by little more than the idea of "Nanda Parabat is just weird, so bear with us." First and foremost, none of the characters that are presented are particularly likable, resulting in a lack of concern when their plane goes down. Secondly, the plot progression is jumbled, resulting in confusing jumps in time as you're left wondering what is and is not real. Usually, I could dig that kind of surreal vibe, but DCU Presents #6 doesn't offer a substantial enough hook through the characters to stay interested in their plight.

One boon of this issue is the work of Jerry Ordway, who brings his old school flair to the pages and spices up most scenes quite a bit. The book's concluding action sequence is of particular note, as despite an utter disregard for what actually happens to the characters on the page, Ordway is able to provide tension and thrills through his sheer storytelling capabilities. Unfortunately, outside of that instance, this book is relatively limited to mundane talking heads – save for one bizarre horror sequence -- far less than the nature of the Challengers of the Unknown would have you expecting.

While O.M.A.C. was a fun new spin on a Jack Kirby creation, Challengers, at least in this first installment, is a far cry from the joy of O.M.A.C., let alone Kirby's own Challengers work.

Joey is IGN's Comics Editor and a comic book creator himself. Follow Joey on Twitter, or find him on My IGN. You may or may not discover a profound number of cat pictures.